William ackroyd



(Nomad.)- f Y 5 Y W. A CKRYD & W. BEST.

APPARATUS PoR LIGHTING MINERS' SAFETY LAMPS. No. 550,469. Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM AGKROYD, OF BIRKENSHAW, AND VILLIAM BEST, OE MORLEY, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING MINERS SAFETY-LAMPS.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,469, dated November 26, 1895,.

Application led January 1l, 1895- To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM AoKRoYD, residing at Birkenshaw, and WILLIAM BEST, residing at Morley, in the county of York, England, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting Miners SafetygLamps, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to construct apparatus for lighting miners safety-lamps through the medium of a spark caused by the broken contact of two electrical conductors in such a manner that the parts employed therewith are few and of simple construction and the generation of an external electric spark is practically impossible, while at the same time the light of the lamp is not diminished by the lighting apparatus and misiiring is entirely obviated.

In making practical experiments with lamps and lighting apparatus invented we have-found serious defects which render the said invention unreliable.

According to our invention, and with reference to the vertical section shown in the accompanying drawing, we Inount the stationary carbon A in a box A', which box is attached to the side of the wick-tube B, so that the upper surface of the said carbon A is at or below the level of the wick-tube B.

The movable carbon C is mounted on a conductor-spring D at the same side of the lamp as 4that of the stationary carbon A, the said conductor-spring D being firmly connected to an insulated cover B2, situated on the wicktube B, in such a manner that the carbon C is free to advance into contact with the stationary carbon A, situated at the side of the wick of the lamp.

An insulated tube M passes up through the oil-chamber G, and a conducting-rod N is fitted within the insulated tube M in such a manner that on its being pressed upward it comes against the under side of the spring D, causing such spring to advance toward the wick-tube B, and thereby moving the carbon C into contact with the carbon A. On removing the upward pressure from the rod N the spring D recedes or moves away from the Serial No. 534,511. (No model.)

wick-tube B, carrying with it the carbon C, and thus breaking the contact between the two carbons.

On a table T, of' non-conducting material, we mount a circular receptacle or ring P for the reception of the lamp.A l/Vithin this ring P and on the table Ta cylindrical conductor R is provided, which is connected by a wire R to one pole of an electric generator or accumulator by means of aterminal R2, and within the conductorR a conductor S is situated, being insulated from the conductor R by means of the insulating material R3.

The conductor S is connected by a wire S to the opposite pole of the generator or accumulator by means of a terminal S2, and the said conductor S is kept up to a certain height by means of the spring S3. At the upper part of the conductor S we provide insulating material S5, which acts as a guard in preventing a short circuit being formed between the upper ends of' the conductors R and S.

Then it is desired to light a lamp fitted with apparatus constructed according to our invention, the said lamp is placed within the ringP and pressed downward, when the conductor S first comes in contact with the lampbottom G, and on the continued downward pressure the conductor S descends, allowing the rod N to come in contact with the conductor R, which action advances the carbon C into contact with the carbon A, when an electric circuit is completed, the current passing by way of the wire S', terminal S2, conductor S, oil-chamber G,wicktube B, carbon A, carbon C, spring D, rod N, conductor R, terminal R2, and wire R. The passing current immediately warms the oil in the wick B, which emits vapor, and on releasing the downward pressure on the lamp the two carbons A and C are suddenly separated, thus breaking the circuit and causing a flash to take place,which instantly lights the alreadyheated wick B'.

In lighting lamps above ground the apparatus shown can be employed without any guard to prevent sparks from the generator or accumulator comin g into contact with the surrounding air; but when used below ground, where an explosive gas may exist, the table roo T forms the lid of an air-tight or explosionproof box in which the generator or accumu* lator is inclosed.

In the latter arrangement should sparks be made at the generator or accumulator no danger will be caused to the mine, as the surrounding air is securely cut off from con tact with the interior of the box.

By having the carbon A at or below the uppcr surface of the wick-tube B, as above described, the light is not diminished, as is the case with acarbon projecting above the level of the wick-tube, and by having the two carbons A and C situated at one and the same side of the wick-tube B the necessity of the moving carbon C crossing the wick B is dispensed with, and thus the danger of misfirng by the wick B coming between the two carbons A and C and preventing contact is entirely obviated.

By actuating thc carbon C through the medium of a conductor-rod N, passing through the lamp-bottom G, as above described, the danger of non-lighting by the lamp-bottom screwing up untrue and the production of an external spark caused by a broken circuit is completely removed.

IVe claim as our inventionl. In a miners safety lamp, the combination of the wick and wick tube, the electric lighting means consisting of two carbons, one attached to the Wick tube and the other at tached to a conductor spring, both carbons being at or below the level of the wick tube, the conductor spring being actuated by the conducting rod which passes through the lamp by way of the insulated tube, the electric current being supplied from a generator or accumulator substantially as set forth.

2. In a ininers safety lamp, the combination of the contact carbons A, and C, arranged adjacent to and at or below the level of the wick, the spring D, which is iirmly connected to the insulated cover B2, the conducting rod N, passing by way of an insulated tube M, and projecting through the lamp bottom, in such a manner that on the conducting rod N, being raised by one of a pair of conductors, which are the two poles of an electric circuit, the circuit is completed by the carbons A, and O, coming into contact, the current of electricity passing by way of the body of the lamp G, the wick tube B, carbon A, carbon C, spring D, and conducting rod N, and when the two carbons A, and C, are brought apart, the contact is broken and a Iiash takes place which lights the wick of the lamp, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with the oil chamber G, of the lamp and the movable insulated conducting rod N, of a ring P, located on a table T, to receive the lamp, a cylindrical conductor R, within the ring P, and in electrical connection with one pole of the electric generator, an insulated and vertically movable conductor S, located within the conductor R, and in connection with the opposite pole of the electric generator, and a spring S3, for holding the end of the conductor S, raised above the conductor R, whereby on insertion into the ring P, the oil chamber makes contact with the conductor S, and on the depression of the latter the movable conductor N, of the lamp makes contact with the conductor R, and completes the circuit, the circuit being broken and the Wick lighted by removal of the lamp as set forth.

4. The combination in a miners lamp of two spark points adjacent to the wick, a spring for supporting one of such spark points, an insulated conducting rod passing vertically through the base of the lamp for actuating the spring and spark point, a base into which the bottom of the lamp is placed, a central spring rod and electric circuit connection for making contact with the base of the lamp and an insulated cylinder to which the other electric circuit Wire is connected and with which the insulated conducting rod comes into contact as the lamp is set into its base for closing the circuit and lighting the lamp as it is removed, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set ou r hands in the presence of two witnesses.

WM. ACKROYD. WILLIAM BEST. lVitnesses GRIFFITH BREWER, JoHN JowETT. 

